Brake operating mechanism



Aug. 25, 1931. M, w, McCONKEY 1,820,472

BRAKE OPERATING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 25, 1928 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MONTGOMERY W. MCCONKEY, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO BENDIX BRAKE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BRAKE OPERATING MECHANISM Original application filed January .25, 1928, Serial No. 249,294. Divided and this application filed December 27, 1928.

My invention relates to improvements. in brake operating mechanism and is illustrated as embodied in novel operating means for aset of four wheel automobile brakes.

An object of my invention is to arrange D the parts in a slmple and lnexpenslve manner so that the brakes maybe operated through equalized connections by one operating member such as a pedal, and through connections in part unequalized by the same operating member in conjunction with a second operating member, and whereby said second operating member, which may be a hand lever, may be utilized to operate a portion of said brakes only without regard to injury or breakage of the connections for equalizing said portion with the remainder of the brakes.

' With these objects in view the mechanism may 'nclude a pair of shafts arranged end to en crosswise of the vehicle and universally mounted at their inner ends so that their outer ends may float to equalize between the front and rear brakes operated thereby. These shafts may be operated through equalizing means coupled with the usual service brake pedal which also has an auxiliary tension connection leading to one of the shafts to actuate the same to operate the brakes controlled b said shaft notwithstanding failure or breakage of the equalizing connections between the shafts, while the usually provided hand lever may be coupled with the other shaft through connections operable to apply the brakes controlled thereby notwithstandingfailure Qrbreakage of the equalizing means with the other shaft.

proved operating mechanism in use thereon.

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and 1 Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2 showing certain details.

This application is a division of my ap- Serial no. 328,683.

plication, Ser. No. 249,294, filed January 25, 1928.

The automobile chassis includes the usual vehicle frame 10 supported at front and rear by springs 12 on front and rear axles 14 and 16, all illustrated in diagram. Front and rear axles are supported by road wheels 18, each of which is equipped with suitable brake mechanism 20. The front brakes are operated by connections such as rods or cables 22 and the rear brakes by other tension connections 24. The connections 22 on the front brakesare connected at their rear ends to arms 26 arranged on the outer ends of two shafts 28, while the connections on the rear brakes are connected at their front ends to similar oppositely extending arms 30 on the shafts 28.v The shafts 28 are supported at their outer ends to permit them to float between the front and rear brakes to equalize the pressure therebetween.

The inner end of each shaft 28 is universally supported to permit the above described floating without interfering with the turning of the shaft as, for example, by being proyided with an integral ball 32 received in a. corresponding socket carried by a cross-mem ber 34 of the vehicle frame.

Secured adjacent to the inner end of each shaft 28 isan upwardly extending arm or operating lever 36. The two levers 36 are connected by means such asan equalizer bar 38 which is received within a fork 40 which fork is carried by an operating shaft 42 journalled in bearings 44 mounted on the vehicle frame cross-member 34. This shaft 42 has an arm 46 secured to one end and connected I by a rod or cable 48. with the 'usual brake 28 adjacent to the arm 36 which is secured to such shaft, and the arm 62 has a lug 64 which extends behind the adjacent arm 36 so as to form a one-way operating connection for the shaft 28 when the hand lever is actuated while permitting independent operation of the shaft through the equalized means by the brake pedal.

It will be seen that depression of the brake pedal serves normally to operate both sets of brakes through the equalized means while, if the equalized means is injured or broken, at least one set of brakes will be operated by depression of the pedal through the oneway operating connection heretofore described and the other set of brakes may be operated through the hand lever entirely independently of the equalized means.

What I claim is:

1. A vehicle having, in combination, brakes, a shaft arranged to operate part of the brakes, a second shaft arranged to operate the remainder of the brakes, means for equalizing the brakes associated with each shaft, equalized means for operating the two shafts, an operating member arranged to opcrate both shafts through said equalizedmeans, an auxiliary connection from said operating member to one of the shafts, and another operating member having a separate connection to the other of said shafts.

2. A vehicle having, in combination, brakes, a shaft arranged to operate part of the brakes, a second shaft arranged to operate the remainder of the brakes, means for equalizing the brakes associated with each shaft, equalized means for operating the two shafts. an operating member arranged to operate both shafts through said equalized means, and means including said operating member and a second independently operable member arranged to operate both shafts through unequalized connections.

3. A vehicle having, in combination, brakes, a shaft arranged to operate part of the brakes, a second shaft arranged to operate the remainder of the brakes. means for equalizing the brakes associated with'each shaft, equalized means for operating the two shafts, an operating member arranged to opcrate both shafts through said equalized means, and an auxiliary connection from said operating member to one of thershafts to operate the brakes controlled thereby independently of the brakes controlled by the other shaft.

4. A vehicle havir ,2. in combination, two pairs of brakes, a sh aft arranged to operate 65 each pair of brakes, raeansfor equalizing the ea ers brakes associated with each shaft, equalizing means connecting the said shafts, an operating member connected with the shafts through said means towoperate both pairs of brakes, and an auxiliary connection from said operating member to one of said shafts independently of "the equalizing -means.

5. A vehicle having, in combination, two pairs of brakes, two shafts arranged end to end crosswise of the vehicle, one shaft con- '55 nected with one pair of brakes and the other shaft connected with the other pair of brakes, equalizing means connecting said shafts, an operatingv member connected with the shafts through said means to operate both pairs of brakes equalizing one pair against the other, an auxiliary connection leading from said operating member to one of said shafts independently of the equalizing means to operate the brakes controlled by said shaft and a second operating member connected with the other shaft to operate the same independently of the equalizing means.

6. A vehicle having, in combination, a pair of right brakes, a pair of left brakes, operating connections therefor equalizing one pair of brakes against the other, means for equalizing the brakes of each pair an operating member'connected with the brakes through said equalizing connections, an auxiliary operating connection between said operating member and one pair of brakes not equalized as against the other pair of brakes.

7. A vehicle having, in combination, a pair of right brakes, a pair of left brakes, means for equalizing the brakes of each pair, operating connections therefor equalizing one pair of brakes against the other, an operating member connected with the brakes through said equalizing connections, an auxiliary operating connection between said operating member and one pair of brakes not equalized as against the other pair of brakes, and .a second operating member connected with the other pair of brakes through means not equalized as to the first pair of brakes.

8. A vehicle having, in combination, a pair of right brakes, a pair of left brakes. two operating members, means connecting'one operating member with both pairs of brakes through connections equalizing the brakes in each pairagainst the other and equalizing one pair of brakes against the other, an auxiliarv operating connection between one of said pairs of brakes and said dpcrating member not equalized as against the other pair of brakes. and means connecting the other operating member with the other pair of brakes not equalized as against the firstpair of brakes.

9. A vehicle having, in combination. a pair of right brakes, a pair of left brakes, two independently operable operatingmembers,

means connecting one operating member with all the brakes equalizing the brakes in the pair of right brakes, a [pair of left brakes,

means for equalizing the rakesof each pair, an operatin pedalconnected with both pairs of brakes t rough equalizedconnections to operate the brakes, and a hand lever connected with the brakes on one side of the vehicle only to operate said brakes.

11. A vehicle having, incombination, two pairs of brakes, means connecting andequalizing the brakes in each pair as against each other,means connecting and equalizing the two pairs of brakes as against each other, a pedal connected with and operating said brakes through said equalizing means, and an auxiliary connection from said pedal to one pair of brakes only.

12. A vehicle having, in combination, a pair of right -brakes, a pair of left brakes,

means for equalizing the brakes of each pair,

an operating memberconnected with both. pairs of brakes to operate the'brakes and a second operating member connected with the brakes on one side of the vehicle only to operate the brakes on such side of the vehicle.

13. In combination with a motor vehicle a pair -of brake actuating shafts rotatably journalled at their inner ends and semi-floating at their outer ends, an equalizer bar connected with the inner ends of said shafts, a brake operating member, a connection between said member and the equalizer bar for actuating the same, and a disconnected coupling between said member and the inner end of one of the brake actuating shafts whereby the same may be actuatedindepe'ndently of the equalizer bar. V

14. In combination with a motor vehicle a pair of brake actuating shafts rotatably journalled at their inner ends and semi-floating at their outer ends, an equalizer bar'connected with the inner ends of said shafts, a brake arm secured to the inner end of each of said shafts, an equalizer bar connecting sa1d arms,-

a rod rotatably journalled adjacent said equalizer bar, an arm securedto said rod and I having a bifurcated extremity engaging said equalizer bar, a second arm secure to sa1d rod, a brake pedal, a connection between said last mentioned arm and said pedal, and a disconnected coupling between one of said brake actuating shaft arms and said brake pair of brake actuating shafts rotatably journalled at their'inner ends and supported for horizontal movement at their outer ends, an

arm secured to the inner endof-each of said' shafts, an equalizer bar connecting said arms, a rod rotatably journalled adjacent said equalizer bar, an arm secured to said ,rod and having a bifurcated extremity engaging said equalizer bar, a second arm secured-to sa1d rod, a brake pedal, a connection betweensaid lastmentioned arm and said pedal, a disconnectedcoupling between one of said brake actuating shaft arms and said brake pedal, and an independently manually operable member disconnectedly coupled with the other of said brake actuating shaft arms.

In testimony whereof, I, MONTGOMERY W. MCCONKEY, sign this specification.

MONTGOMERY W. MCCONKEY.

operating member, a connection between said v member and the equalizer bar for actuating the same, a disconnected coupling between said member and the inner end'of one ofthe brake actuating shaftswherebj the same may be actuated independently of the equalizer bar, and-a second manually operable member similarly connected to the inner end of the other actuating shaft.

15. In combination with a motor vehicle, a

I pair of brake actuating shafts rotatably j ournalled at their inner ends and supported for horizontal movement at their outer ends, an

pedal. 16. In combination with a motor .vehlele, a 

